It is proposed to study the way delayed stress reactions among Vietnam Veterans and other men of the Vietnam Era are 1) prevented, 2) cushioned, and/or 3) coped with through the help of the interpersonal environment or network of these men. The data come from 3-5-hour interviews with a probability sample of young men eligible for the draft from 1965-72 in 10 sites throughout the country. Over half of the sample are veterans, divided between Vietnam and Vietnam Era veterans. Blacks and Chicanos are oversampled. The Stressor is measured through an index of exposure to combat, the stress reaction through items taken from the PERI scales as well as a specifically constructed set of items designed to measure delayed stress reaction. Denial and mental status are taken into account. The interpersonal environment includes friends at the time of entry into the military, friends in the military, and current friends, as well as spouse (if any). Network homophily and density and intimacy are measured. Analysis is contextual at two levels: the location and the network of friends. The attributes of these two levels together with those of the respondent interact to produce different levels of stress reaction and other forms of mental disorder, as well as different use of the helping professions. Material will be developed that will be useful in designing appropriate psychological services for Vietnam veterans with special reference to the effective use of naturally occurring support networks.